Can I still be penalised for having time off work due to coronavirus?

[yarncakes]

My DS is going back to school next month, and their policy is even if he or any of my household have cold lile symptoms, not just coronavirus symptoms, then we as a family have to self isolate until we get tested and it comes back negative and to prove the school this is the case. This means, obviously taking a few days off work each time and I'm a front line worker.

My DH works from home but obviously any covid symptoms means isolating as a family doesn't it? I'm just wondering whether I can still lose my job over this or not? I understand before all of this, a family member could take over looking after them but now that's just not possible. I'm quite worried as I really cannot afford to lose my job. We have bills to pay :(

Covid symptoms do but cold symptoms don't surely.
The school can't dictate that you need to self isolate if your child has the sneezes!

@StealthPolarBear

Covid symptoms do but cold symptoms don't surely. The school can't dictate that you need to self isolate if your child has the sneezes!

This is what I thought but its correct. They said any symptoms of any upper and lower respiratory tract, so cold, coughing etc. I'm quite flabbergasted because I got tested as I had a cold a couple of weeks ago which was thankfully negative. But remember, cold and influenza has gone away now! It's all about covid. It has taken over.

But a persistent cough is a covid symptom
No need to isolate with a sore throat or sneezing though, would be my view

Sorry I know a pestitent cough is but I mean when we have colds, we always get coughs afterwards. I always have a lingering cough for 2 to 3 weeks. Thank goodness mine has only lasted a few days this time around. I just don't see how this is going to work though. My child's health is obviously more important than anything else but last year, we had cold after cold and we just got on with it. I just don't know what to expect. I guess none of us do! My manager is worried about being short staffed, I think as quite a few of us have children.

I also don't know how this will work come winter. Lots of people will get colds and flu.

Yes I see what you mean. I honestly have no idea how it's all going to work in reality.

I would talk to your manager to determine your work policy. The school cannot override your work policy. If dh is working from home can he keep an eye on your ds? That is what we will do unless clearly covid symptoms. I don't think that you have to share the results with school due to confidentiality but in the absence of a negative test they could ask him to take 14 days off.

The school can't dictate that you need to stay off work every time your child has a snotty nose. I suppose they can refuse to take your child if he has cold symptoms (even though a snotty nose isn't a Covid symptom) but they can't stop you from going to work.

In my opinion the school cannot make a whole household isolate for a cold, they are not a public health body. The government advise is very clear here. They can say a child cannot attend or send them home but they cannot force you home from work because a child has a cold and is sneezing. What can they do to you? Worth having a very frank conversation with you boss in case they try to contact your work place but your work should direct them to speak to public health if they have concerns.

Tbh if I had mild cold symptoms that did not (according to the government) warrant self isolating and testing, I wouldn't be doing so. And if I had no childcare, my child would go to school. To be clear I'm not talking about the symptoms that the government says to isolate and test for, I'd always follow those rules. Obviously I can't stop the school sending my child home if they have those other symptoms (runny nose etc), but if just I had them, not the child, then I'd send them in.
School cannot expect employers to be happy with you saying "I have a sore throat, no temp, no loss of taste, no cough, but I won't be coming in". And they cannot expect parents to lose income and risk losing their job because they've decided to go beyond the government policy.